Car retarder



Aug. 2, 1960 Filed July 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l RETARDER ARMS N .q LL

INVENTOR. JOHN L. DEVANEY BY WWW ATTORNEYS J. L. DEVANEY Aug. 2, 1960 CAR RETARDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1958 INVENTOR. JOHN L. DEVANEY BY W ATTORNEYS Aug. 2, 1960 J. L. DEVANEY 2,947,385

CAR RETARDER Filed July 10, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN R. JOHN L. DEVA Y ATTORNEYS United States Patent CAR RETARDER John L. Devaney, Downey, Calif., assignor to American Brake Shoe Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 10, 1958, Ser. No. 747,786

Claims. (Cl. 188-62) This invention relates to a retarder for decelerating railroad cars in connection with classification in a classification yard.

In standard railroad classifying systems, the freight cars to be classified are first shuttled one by one down a lead track where the speed of each car undergoes individual retardation by a master retarder which takes into account the momentum of the car. The lead track is connected to the various classifying branches in the yard, and the car that was retarded by the master retarder is switched into its particular branch. In accordance with common practice, so-called skates are manually placed on the far ends of the branch rails for halting the first car allocated to a particular classifying branch. These skates are constructed with arcuate shoes which project abovethe rails to engage a portion of the periphery of the. car wheel tread. When the cars are later to be shuttled out onto the main line in the classifying yard, it is necessary for wo'rkmen to remove the skates, and this is but one of several aspects of a significant amount of labor entailed in the use of skates of the foregoing kind.

The present invention is concerned with a simplified form of a car retarder which can be permanently located at a desired location in a classifying yard and the objects of the present'invention are to enable skates of the foregoing kind .to be eliminated togetherwith the attendant labor involved therein, to materially simplify the construction of self-operating car retarders, and to enable a car retarder to be constructed using several essential. elements including a pair of main retarding arms arranged for pivotal in and out movement relative to the trafiic rail with which they are associated, a spring for biasing these members, means for maintaining the spring effective, and a tie member enabling the retarding members to pivot and act in unison.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, showpreferred embodiments of the present invention and the principle thereofand whatis now considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying this principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings: a

Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view showing the overall layout of a pair of car retarder assemblies associated with a pair of traflic rails;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing the relation of the car he a t Fig. 3 is a sectional view on a greatlyenlarged scale in comparison to Fig. l-showing details of the present invention;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are, respectively, side, front and top views of the main retarding arms of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is,a detail sectional view showing the disposition of parts in their released state; and

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing a modified construction.

The present invention is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 of the drawings as including a pair of left and right hand main retarder arms 10L and 10R disposed on opposite sides of the traffic rail TR in a railroad classifying yard. Each such arm supports a retarding element or bar for engaging one side of a car wheel CW on the rail TR, and in the present instance these retarding elements are conveniently in the form of used or second hand rails 14 and 15. The arms 10L and 10R are fully symmetrical throughout so as to be interchangeable one with the other. Each arm includes a main body portion having a pair of inwardly directed rigid stop members in the form of lugs or toes 16 having points of engagement with the slope sides 17 of the base of the rail TR.

The arms 10L and 10R include depending portions of cars 1013 which extend belo'w the base of the rail, and a heavy-duty coil spring 20 is arranged therebetween in such a manner as to normally bias the arms 10L and 10R so that the clearance space between the wheel engaging faces 14F and 15F of the retarding elements 14 and .15 is less thanthe width of the car wheel CW. This enablesretarding forces to be applied to the opposite sides of the wheels of a car moving along the traffic rails in a classifying branch as will now be explained in general terms with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw and these are of identical construction throughout toenable .quick assembly without regard to fore or aft, left or right hand, relations. The retarding rails 14 and 15 associated with the car retarder assembly CR are disposed as a pair on opposite sides of each trafiic rail TR with the wear surfaces 14F and 15F, Fig. 3, facing toward one another at an area above the wear surfaces on the heads of the trafiic rails on which the treads of the car wheels CW ride. The retarding rails, as shown in Fig. 1, are of a relatively long length, and the fore and aft ends thereof are outwardly bent to enable the car wheels CW to easily enter therebetween just prior to being gripped by the retarder rails at the inner areas of the retarder assemblies CR. It will be realized that in constructing the retarding element fro'm scrap rails, such represents a relatively inexpensive form of construction, and hence any desired form of retarder element can be used.

In order to account for uniform application of retarding forces, the retarder spring assemblies, including the arms 10L and 10R, Fig. 3, are preferably located on centers between every two ties as indicated by legend in Fig. 1. Having thus explained above the general nature of the invention, and the preferred over-all arrangement, details of construction will now be explained with reference to Figs. 3 to 7 of the drawings.

Thus as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the stop members 16 formed on the inner adjacent sides of the arms 10L and MR are spaced below the upper ends of these arms serving as mounting heads 25 on whichthe retarding elements 14 and 15 are mounted. In securing the retarding elements in place, the mounting heads 25 are formed with'recesss 26 which extend inwardly from the rear or outer sides of the heads 25, and these recesses are generally T-shaped in vertical section as shown in Fig. 5 enabling the head 27 of a bolt to be mounted in the horizontal cross-arm portion of the related recess 26 with theshank z thereof disposed in'the vertical 'stem portion of the recesses 26. The dimensioning of the parts is such that the threaded ends of the bolt shanks 28 extend above the-mounting heads 25 enablingthese threaded ends to be extended through apertures 30 and 31 formed respectively in the'flanges orwebs of the retarding rails 14 and 15 with the threaded ends exposed above the retarding rails 14-and 15. Thus, the retarding elements 14 and 15 'are in effect laid on their sides, and the heads 25 .of the arms L and 10R are-configured complemental to'the' sectional shape of the retard-' ing rails so-that the bases 14B and 15B thereof fit neatly down over the rear or outer sides-of the-heads 25 with the downwardly disposed faces of the flanges 14F and 15F thereof resting onthe tops of the retarder arm heads 25. Further, what'are normally the under-sides of the heads of the retarding rails 14- and 15 rest on the upper inner corners of the heads 25 of the arms 10L and 10R.

After. such initial assembly is completed, a lock washer and jam nut'assembly, 36 and 38, is turned down on the exposed threaded ends of the aforementioned bolts to tightly secure the retarding rails in place. It will be noted in this connection that the bases of the retarding rails partly coverthe recesses 26 to protect the heads 27 of the retaining bolts. It will "be appreciated that this manner of securing the retarding rails to theretarding arms ML and 10R is repeated down the line in accord ance with the preferred spacing illustrated in Fig. 11.

The stops 16 project inwardly from the inner sides of arms 10L and 10R substantially in normal relation thereto at points slightly above the medial areas thereof. The stops 16 are of substantially reduced and narrowed thickness insofar as the over-all height of the arms-10L and 10R is concerned. Each arm 10L and 10R, including the stops 16, the heads 25, the main body portions thereof and the depending or bottom extensions 10E to be'described in more detail hereinafter, is an interchangeable one-piece casting, but of course so long as these parts are rigidly related separable parts-are possible. in the one-piece cast form the base sections of the stop lugs 16 which are joined'to the main body portions of the arms 10L and 10R are gradually tapered and rounded as at 16R to impart a high degree'of strength, but the lugs 16 are straightened horizontally at16S in the section nearer'the tralfic rail TR so as to be of uniform dimension, and the free inner ends thereof are gradually curved rearwardly at 16C from top to bottom to conform somewhat to the flaring between the vertical web or flange section of the rail TR and the sloped upper surfaces or walls 17 on the opposite sides of the rail TR. In order that the arms 10L and NR will be reversible during assembly, a spacer 40 is disposed parallel to the inside of the vertical web of the rail TR, and is secured in place in any preferred manner.

The retarder is drawn to scale in Fig. 3 and shown in an actuated state applying a retarding force to the car wheel CW, and it will be observed in this connection that the rounded lower corners of the stop lugs 16 engage the sloped sides 17 of therail base B respectively extensionsdttE of the retarder' arms spaced a minimum distance apart placing the coil spring 20 undercompres Hence,

sion. It will be noted that tapered openings 40 are formed in the bottom'extensions 10E coaxial withthespring 20, these openings having narrow ends at the inside of the retarder arms 10L and 10R and their wide ends communicating with the exterior sides. The bottom extensions are joined by an elongated tie member in the form of a bolt '41 having the';opposite ends thereof reposed in the tapered openings il with the intermediate portion of the shank of-the-bolt 41 disposed in the area between the inside facesof the arms;10L and 10R; In order to afford apositivestopabutment for the action of the spring 20 on the arm 10L, the head 41H of the bolt 41 is located on. the outside of the arm 10L, and a washer 42 is interposed-between the head 411-1 and the adjacent portion of the outeriface of the arm 10L which is flattened at 43. The stop head 41H is rounded at 41R to enable the Washer 42, and resultantly the arm 10L, to rock easily thereon within slight limits.

The threadedend'of thebolt 41=extends-beyond the outer face of-thearm 10R, and a pair of securing nuts 47 and 48 are turned upthereon to aiford another stop abutment; A washer H is -interposed between the inner one 'ofth'e'nuts 47 and the adjacent outer side of thearm 10R which is flattened at 50. The nut 47 is rounded at 47R to enable the bottom extension of arm 10R and washer 49-to rock easily thereon within slight limits.

It will be realized of course that in affording the stops for the action of the spring 20, difierent arrangements may be used. This is also true of facilitating rocking movement of arms 10L and 10R. In Fig. 8 for example, a conventional flat-sided securing-nut 47A is located adjacent the washer '49, and the area of the bottom extension 10E of the arm 10R about the-wide end of the opening 40 is rounded at 50R, and a like change will be adopted for thearm 10L and thehead 41H of the bolt 41.

A pair of spring seats 52 having inwardly projecting annular bosses-52B are formed with openings and are mounted concentric about the shank of the bolt 41- onthe inside of the arms 10L and 10R. The ends of thespring 20 engage these spring seats; and shims 55 are arranged between the flatouter sides of the spring seats 52 and the'adjacent flat inside faces of the-arms.

' In the normal state of the device (Fig; '7) wherein there is nocar wheel between the wear faces 013 111616- tarding elements 14 and 15,- the spring 20 is in'a more expandedstate; causing the left hand retarder arm 10L to rock in *a clockwise direction, and the right hand arm 10R to rock in a counterclockwisedirection; Thus, in

as facilitated by the roundedsurfaces betweenthe' arms and 'the stop nuts. 7 e

The structure is quite heavy; and the lugs '16 I bear heavily onthe base B of th'e rail TR. The arms 10L and" MR are-maintained in position and'guided'for operation during in and out rocking or' pivotal movement by an.

elongated tie memberlin the form ofa bolt' 'which is passed through an opening 61, Fig. 7, in the vertical web or fiangeW ofthe frailv TR, and through :an aligned opening 62in the spaceribar. 40LWhich of-course is equivalent topart of therailfTRQ The. left and. righthand end portions of the bolt means 60 respectively repose in taperedv openings 64 and 55 formed in the arms 10L. andR at points" between the respective pairstof. lugs 16 on. each such;arrn'... Itfwillbe 'noted'that the iexterior or outer faces of the arms 10L and 10R arerrounde'd at 66 at'least in theareas surrounding thewide ends of the tapered openings 64 and "65. Theboltrneans 41 and;60 aredis-* posed parallel to one another, and of course the tapered i openings" identifiedabove produce freedomof V movement The tie means 60 is provided with abutments which constitute pivot surfaces as will now be described.

The head 60H of the bolt 60 is disposed outward of the rounded side 66 of the arm 10L, and a washer 67 is disposed on the bolt 60 between the head 601-1 and the rounded side 66 of the arm 10L so that the latter is capable of free rocking movement relative to the bolt 60. Likewise, a washer 68 is mounted on the bolt 60 on the outside of the arm 10R so as to engage the rounded surface 66 thereof, and securing nuts 71 and 72 are turned up on the threaded end of the bolt 60 to engage the washer 68. The rounded surfaces 66 are at all times in engagement with the washers 67 and 68, the arms 10L and 10R rocking thereon during in and out pivotal movement of the arms 10L and 10R under the influence of or against the action of spring 20.

It will be realized from the foregoing that in the released state of the device the spring 20 is effective to rock the arms 10L and 10R respectively in clockwise and counterclockwise directions inwardly toward one another,

' or stated in another way, the spring 20 urges apart the bottom extensions 10E. The arms 10L and 10R pivot on the washers 67 and 68 as centers, and the various parts are dimensioned and the nuts are adjusted so that normally the wear faces of the retarding elements 14 and 15 are spaced approximately 5% apart which represents less clearance than the normal width of a car wheel. The spring 20 in its unmounted state is 8%." long having a resistance of 9376 lbs/inch, and is normally (no car wheel) loaded to a dimension of 7 resulting in the normal 5% spacing referred to above. When a car wheel enters between the retarder elements, the upper ends of the retarder arms are forced apart a total distance of about /2", moving the lower ends E inward toward one another a total distance of about A The foregoing is exemplary of an actual field condition, and the nuts described above can be set or adjusted to meet varying circumstances.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the car retarder of the present invention embodies but few essential parts in a relatively compact unit, but nevertheless it is quite apparent that substantial retarding forces and effective moment arms are established together with means for making what adjustments might be necessary for varying conditions.

Hence, while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described, this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not Wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a rail mounted car retarder of the kind described, a pair of left and right-hand retarder arms disposed respectively in generally parallel vertical planes on opposite sides of the rail, each of said arms having an upper extension with a retarder element supported thereby above the head of the rail in position to engage the respective sides of a car wheel travelling on the head of the rail, each of said arms being provided intermediate the ends thereof with an inwardly directed stop member having a portion in substantial point engagement with the upper surface of the rail base inward of the related outer edge of the rail base, said stop members each having inner ends substantially abutting the related surface of the web of the rail, each of said arms being pivotal on the portions of the stop members so engaged with the rail base, a tie member joining said arms intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof and maintaining said arms in engaged, pivotal relation with the rail base enabling the arms to rock toward and away from one another respectively moving the retarder elements closer together and farther apart, said arms having bottom extensions depending below the related ones of said stop members, a coil spring disposed beneath the rail in a manner so as to be free of the rail and rail support structure and arranged between said bottom extensions to apply outwardly directed forces thereto, and bolt means extending between the lower ends of said bottom extensions and affording stop elements disposed immediately outwardly of said bottom extensions for limiting outward movement of said bottom extensions, whereby the car retarder is suspended from the rail and vertically positioned with respect to the rail by the portions of the stop members engaged with the rail base.

2. A retarder according to claim 1 wherein the tie member is in the form of an elongated one-piece bolt means passed through enlarged openings in said arms, said bolt means having abutments at the two ends thereof, and wherein the retarder arms have rounded-outer surfaces engaging said abutments.

3. A rail-mounted car retarder comprising a pair of left and right-hand retarder arms disposed respectively in generally parallel vertical planes on opposite sides of the rail, each of said arms being of substantially identical interchangeable dimension and configuration and comprising: a main body portion having an upper extension and a lower extension, an intermediate stop member extending inwardly of said main body portion at the inner side thereof in substantial normal relation to said main body portion between the ends thereof, said main body portion having an upper tapered opening therein which opens at an outer side of the main body portion and V which extends substantially parallel to the projecting direction of said stop member, the outer side of said main body portion surrounding said tapered opening being of rounded configuration, and said bottom extension having a lower tapered opening therein; said arms having retarding elements removably supported on the upper end ,extensions thereof above the head of the rail in position to engage the respective sides of a car wheel travelling along said rail, said stop members having a portion in substantial point engagement with the upper surface of the rail base inward-of the related outer edge of the rail base thereby providing pivot points for rocking motion of the arms about the rail, said stop members each having inner ends substantially abutting the related surface of the web of the rail, elongated tie bolt means having end portions reposed in the upper tapered openings of said retarder arms and having abutments thereon in engagement with the said rounded sides of the retarder arms, said bolt means having a medial portion projected through an opening in the web of the rail, other elongated bolt means having end portions thereof reposed in said lower tapered openings and having the intermediate portion thereof disposed between the bottom extensions of said retarder arms, a coil spring disposed beneath the rail and arranged between said bottom extensions in concentric relation to said intermediate portion of the second-named bolt means and effective to apply outwardly directed forces to said bottom extensions at the inner sides thereon to provide a force tending to rock the upper portions of the arms inwardly about said pivot points, and said second-named bolt means having abutments thereon engageable by the outer sides of said bottom extensions.

4. A car retarder as defined in claim 3 wherein each upper end of each of said arms comprises a mounting head having a vertically extending recess formed in the shape of an inverted T to have an enlarged base, whereby a retarder rail is adapted to be mounted on the arm by a vertically extending mounting bolt having a head seated in the base of the recess.

5. In a rail mounted car retarder of the kind described, a pair of left and right-hand retarder arms disposed respectively in generally parallel vertical planes on opposite sides of the rail, each of said arms having an upper extension with a retarder element supported thereby above the head of the rail in position to engage the respective sides of a car wheel travelling on the head of the rail, each of said arms being provided with an inwardly directed stop member projecting toward the related vertical side surface of the Web of the rail and having a potrion restricted to engagement with the upper surface of the rail base inward of the related outer edge of the rail base, each of said arms being pivotal relative to the rail on the portions of the stop members so engaged with the rail base, guide means joined to said arms intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof and eifective to guide the arms during pivotal action thereof, said arms having bottom extensions depending below the related ones of said stop members, a coil spring disposed beneath the rail in a manner so as to be free of the rail andrail support structure and arranged between said bottom extensions to apply outwardly directed forces thereto, and means engaging the lower ends of said bottom extensions and affording stop elements for limiting outward movement of said bottom extensions under the influence'of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 823,772 Fitch June 19, 1906 10 2,104,187 lClausen Jan. 4, 1938 2,104,606 B0116 Jan. 4, 1938 2,238,772 I Clausen Apr. 15, 1941 

